Post by KayJuran on May 16, 2006 13:49:53 GMT -5
Here is a quote from the Snowflake Technique. Many of you may recognise this::
Take an hour and write a one-sentence summary of your story. Something like this: “A rogue physicist travels back in time to kill the apostle Paul.” (This is the summary for my first novel, Transgression.) The sentence will serve you forever as a ten-second selling tool. This is the big picture, the analog of that big starting triangle in the snowflake picture.
When you later write your book proposal, this sentence should appear very early in the proposal. It’s the hook that will sell your book to your editor, to your committee, to the sales force, to bookstore owners, and ultimately to readers. So make the best one you can!
Some hints on what makes a good sentence:
a) Shorter is better. Try for fewer than 15 words.
b) No character names, please! Better to say “a handicapped trapeze artist” than “Jane Doe”.
c) Tie together the big picture and the personal picture. Which character has the most to lose in this story? Now tell me what he or she wants to win.
d) Read the one-line blurbs on the New York Times Bestseller list to learn how to do this. Writing a one-sentence description is an art form.
The idea is that you start with one idea, and gradually add more and more detail, until you have a complete outline for a story. The above is just the first step, and if you'd like to carry on with this, the link is here.
Anyway, for this exercise all you have to do is write a one-sentence summary, following the guidelines above. It can be a new idea, or one that you're currently using. Don't worry, if you're not using the snowflake technique and have already started writing, it's not too late to start.
Have fun!
Take an hour and write a one-sentence summary of your story. Something like this: “A rogue physicist travels back in time to kill the apostle Paul.” (This is the summary for my first novel, Transgression.) The sentence will serve you forever as a ten-second selling tool. This is the big picture, the analog of that big starting triangle in the snowflake picture.
When you later write your book proposal, this sentence should appear very early in the proposal. It’s the hook that will sell your book to your editor, to your committee, to the sales force, to bookstore owners, and ultimately to readers. So make the best one you can!
Some hints on what makes a good sentence:
a) Shorter is better. Try for fewer than 15 words.
b) No character names, please! Better to say “a handicapped trapeze artist” than “Jane Doe”.
c) Tie together the big picture and the personal picture. Which character has the most to lose in this story? Now tell me what he or she wants to win.
d) Read the one-line blurbs on the New York Times Bestseller list to learn how to do this. Writing a one-sentence description is an art form.
The idea is that you start with one idea, and gradually add more and more detail, until you have a complete outline for a story. The above is just the first step, and if you'd like to carry on with this, the link is here.
Anyway, for this exercise all you have to do is write a one-sentence summary, following the guidelines above. It can be a new idea, or one that you're currently using. Don't worry, if you're not using the snowflake technique and have already started writing, it's not too late to start.
Have fun!